Insights
As a global leader in water solutions and services, Ecolab remains dedicated to creating a more water secure future through smart water management, conservation and stewardship. By 2030 we plan to achieve a Net Positive Water Impact through:
- Reducing, recycling and replenishing water at operational sites. We aim to reduce water impact by 40% per unit production across our enterprise from a 2018 base year.
- Protecting local watersheds by working to restore greater than 50% of our absolute water withdrawal volume at high-risk sites.
- Delivering outcomes through the Alliance for Water Stewardship (AWS) Standard by achieving AWS certification for Ecolab manufacturing sites located in high-risk watersheds.
Ecolab's facility located in Placentia, California, is a key contributor to these goals. The Placentia site is a water purity solutions facility focused on resin regeneration and water purification. Located in Southern California, in the San Gabriel sub-basin, the Placentia facility relies on water distributed by water treatment plants that source water from the Colorado River aqueduct and the California aqueduct. Other water sources include local groundwater from Orange County groundwater basin. Wastewater from the Placentia facility is received and treated by the Orange County Sanitation District's Fountain Valley facility. The treated wastewater is released into the Pacific Ocean.
The Placentia facility was identified as a priority location to pursue AWS certification as well as "to enhance" the site's smart water management approach and implement innovative technologies to advance enterprise water goals.
Actions
To contribute to Ecolab's enterprise water goals, the local team's objective is to reduce annual water use per ton of product by 40% from 2018 to 2030.
The following projects are underway to help improve the facility's water balance and reduce overall water use across Ecolab's enterprise:
- Redesign of the waste neutralization system to improve efficiency and safety.
- Redesign of the water heating system that supports the resin regeneration process allowing for additional water reclamation.
- Improvements and refinements to process water use at each stage of the resin regeneration process.
Outcomes
As a result of these actions, the Placentia facility achieved savings in water and energy use. The improvements made at the site have proved to be a helpful step forward for enhancing the site's operations and advancing Ecolab's sustainability goals.
